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Claireece Precious Jones is an obese, illiterate 16-year-old girl who lives in Harlem with her abusive mother Mary. Precious is a few months pregnant with her second child, the result of being raped by her father, also the father of her first child. When her school discovers the pregnancy, it is decided that she should attend an alternative school. Precious is furious, but the counselor later visits her home and convinces her to enter an alternative school, located in the Hotel Theresa, called Higher Education Alternative Each One Teach One. Despite her mother's insistence that she apply for welfare, Precious enrolls in the school. She meets her teacher, Ms. Blu Rain, and fellow students Rhonda, Jermaine, Rita, Jo Ann, and Consuelo. All of the girls come from troubled backgrounds. Ms. Rain's class is a pre-GED class for young women who are below an eighth-grade level in reading and writing and therefore are unprepared for high school-level courses. They start off by learning the basics of phonics and vocabulary building. Despite their academic deficits, Ms. Rain ignites a passion in her students for literature and writing. She believes that the only way to learn to write is to write every day. Each girl is required to keep a journal. Ms. Rain reads their entries and provides feedback and advice. By the time the novel ends, the women have created an anthology of autobiographical stories called "LIFE STORIES – Our Class Book" appended to the book. The works of classic African-American writers such as Audre Lorde, Alice Walker and Langston Hughes are inspirational for the students. Precious is particularly moved by The Color Purple.
Take a peek inside RWW's Christmas Podcast episode where we reviewed all 3 versions of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas". Hear our thoughts about it and what we rated the movies. Do you have any thoughts about any these movies?
Just Mercy is the story of a young lawyer fighting on the frontlines of a country in thrall to extreme punishments and careless justice. The story shadows world-renowned civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson as he recounts his experiences and details the case of a condemned death row prisoners whom he fought to free.
John Doolittle is a kind-hearted country physician who keeps goldfish in his pond, rabbits in the pantry, white mice in a piano, and a hedgehog in the cellar. He also has an unusual gift: he can talk to animals — a talent that comes in handy, since he prefers treating animals, rather than humans, as his patients.
Tess is 21 when she packs up her things in her car and moves from Ohio to New York City. Knowing nothing and no one she stumbles her way into a job at a semi-prestigious restaurant as a back waitress. The servers and staff are exceptionally tight-knit and take their jobs extremely seriously and Tess does as well. Tess is also drawn to Jake, one of the bartenders, and Simone, a senior server who takes Tess under her wing and begins to train her palate and teach her about wines so that she might one day be able to become a server.
Initially disliked by the staff they soon warm up to Tess and she joins them in their hedonistic lifestyle. Nevertheless she longs to be included in Simone and Jake's more exclusive circle and comes to learn that they are both from Connecticut, knew each other before the restaurant, and that Simone treats him like family. Tess aggressively pursues Jake but he refrains from sleeping with her which Tess comes to realize is because of Simone. When Simone walks in on Tess licking Jake after he cut himself Simone says she will speak to Jake and he finally begins sleeping with Tess.
A walk to remember is a coming-of-age romantic novel written by Nicholas Sparks, about a guy who falls irrevocably in love with a pretty daughter of the Reverend, who ultimately dies of cancer. The story revolves around the young couple and how Jamie embarks love in Landon. The story is of hope and endless love.
he Giver is a 1993 American young adult dystopian novel by Lois Lowry. It is set in a society which at first appears to be utopian but is revealed to be dystopian as the story progresses. The novel follows a 12-year-old boy named Jonas. The society has taken away pain and strife by converting to "Sameness", a plan that has also eradicated emotional depth from their lives. Jonas is selected to inherit the position of Receiver of Memory, the person who stores all the past memories of the time before Sameness, as there may be times where one must draw upon the wisdom gained from history to aid the community's decision making. Jonas struggles with concepts of all the new emotions and things introduced to him: whether they are inherently good, evil, or in between, and whether it is even possible to have one without the other. The Community lacks any color, memory, climate, or terrain, all in an effort to preserve structure, order, and a true sense of equality beyond personal individuality.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a children's story by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel written in rhymws verse with illustrations by the author. It follows the Grinch a grumpy, solitary creature who attempts to put an end to Christmas by stealing Christmas-themed items from the homes of the nearby town Whoville on Christmas Eve. Miraculously, the Grinch realizes that Christmas may not all be about money and presents.
A Dog's Journey is the sequel of A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron. The story starts with Buddy a good dog, an old dog from A Dog's Purpose. Buddy thought his purpose in life was completed by loving and caring for Ethan. Ethan was his human in A Dog's Purpose but he died. A year after A Dog's Purpose Hannah has allowed Gloria and her infant child Clarity June (CJ) to stay with her at the farm after the death of Ethan and Hannah's son, Henry. Gloria takes an immediate dislike to Hannah's old Labrador Retriever, Buddy, who feels he has found his purpose, which was to watch over CJ. Numerous incidents occur in which Gloria's negligence endangers Clarity June before Buddy saves her. Gloria blames Buddy for all of them. Hannah suggests that she keep CJ at the farm while Gloria pursues her singing career, enraging Gloria, who leaves with Clarity June. Hannah notices Buddy has a limp and takes him to the vet. A veterinarian diagnoses Buddy with cancer and he is euthanized shortly after.
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